In November 1965, the eastern part of the island had the privilege to have one of the health institutions with most impact on the lives of its inhabitants: the Vladimir Ilich Lenin Hospital.

Holguin, a city at the time with less than half of the 300,000 people that live there today, had the privilege of constructing the installation, opening and expanding its medical services.

On November 7th, 45 years ago, the leader of the Cuban Revolution Fidel Castro inaugurated the hospital which offers medical assistance to different people in the region.

Pure Aviles, specialist in Cuban medicine and founder of the center recalls Fidel's encounter with the health professionals at the time and population which marked the beginning of a transformation program in integral health attention in that part of the island.

Located in one of the residential areas of the city known as the City of Parks, the construction included several blocks and was distinguished from by its height, sobriety and architectural eclectic.

There were tough days during the conclusion of the institution which inaugurated 650 beds, 32 medical specialties in 61 services and departments and over 3,000 workers, turning this center into a giant health facility in the eastern region.

Lenin Hospital became a potential in scientific research at the time and as an example of this was the surgery in December 27th, 1973 of Siamese twins Maylin and Mayelin Tellez Pupo joint by the abdomen in addition to the first in Latin America.

Another of the milestones occurred in 1966 when Dr. Elio Marrero Faz carried out the first cornea transplant in Cuba in addition to the first in using the crioextractor in cataract surgery.

The hospital´s prestige increased on the national and international level and turned into a reference point in the advances achieved by Cuba in the health care sector and in which was reaffirmed when a new type of hereditary ataxia was discovered.

With the highest birth rate in the country, an average of 25 per day, almost half a million Cubans have been born in the neo-natal ward of the Lenin Hospital, where each year the health professionals work hard to reduce the infant mortality rate.

Time has damaged its edification, however today there are encouraging signs of recovery with a broad range of transformations of its surgery wards, façade, laboratories and areas for medical attention and workers in general.

Commemorating its 45th anniversary, this group of workers continue their labor to preserve human values, respect, solidarity, equality and equity which Fidel has reiterated as precepts of the Cuban Revolution.